Muni's PlayUddalaka Aruni and Svetaketu
Introduction
6.1.1: Om. There was Svetaketu, the grandson of Aruna. His father (Uddalaka) said to him: “Svetaketu, go to live as a religious student, for there is none in our family, my dear, who has not studied the Vedas and is a Brahmin only by birth.”
6.1.2: Having gone at the age of twelve, he returned when he was twenty-four, having studied all the Vedas, conceited, considering himself well-read, and arrogant. His father said to him:
6.1.3: “Svetaketu, since you are so conceited, considering yourself well-read, and arrogant, did you ask for that instruction by which the unheard becomes heard, the unperceived becomes perceived, and the unknown becomes known?” “Bhagavan, how is that instruction?“
6.1: The Metaphors of Modification
Sanskrit Verses
यथा सोम्यैकेन मृत्पिण्डेन सर्वं मृन्मयं विज्ञातं स्याद्वाचारम्भणं विकारो नामधेयं मृत्तिकेत्येव सत्यम् ॥ ६.१.४ ॥
यथा सोम्यैकेन लोहमणिना सर्वं लोहमयं विज्ञातं स्याद्वाचारम्भणं विकारो नामधेयं लोहमित्येव सत्यम् ॥ ६.१.५ ॥
यथा सोम्यैकेन नखनिकृन्तनेन सर्वं कार्ष्णायसं विज्ञातं स्याद्वाचारम्भणं विकारो नामधेयं कृष्णायसमित्येव सत्यमेवं सोम्य स आदेशो भवतीति ॥ ६.१.६ ॥
Translation
6.1.4: “Just as, my dear, by one clod of clay all that is made of clay is known, the modification being only a name arising from speech, while the truth is that all is clay;“
6.1.5: “Just as, my dear, by one nugget of gold all that is made of gold is known, the modification being only a name arising from speech, while the truth is that all is gold;“
6.1.6: “Just as, my dear, by one pair of nail-cutters all that is made of iron is known, the modification being only a name arising from speech, while the truth is that all is iron — thus, my dear, is that instruction.”
6.2: Creation from Being (Sat)
Sanskrit Verses
सदेव सोम्येदमग्र आसीदेकमेवाद्वितीयम् । तद्धैक आहुरसदेवेदमग्र आसीदेकमेवाद्वितीयं तस्मादसतः सज्जायत ॥ ६.२.१ ॥
कुतस्तु खलु सोम्यैवं स्यादिति होवाच कथमसतः सज्जायेतेति । सत्त्वेव सोम्येदमग्र आसीदेकमेवाद्वितीयम् ॥ ६.२.२ ॥
तदैक्षत बहु स्यां प्रजायेयेति तत्तेजोऽसृजत तत्तेज ऐक्षत बहु स्यां प्रजायेयेति तदपोऽसृजत ॥ ६.२.३ ॥
Translation
6.2.1: “In the beginning, my dear, this was Being alone, one only, without a second. Some, however, say that, in the beginning, this was non-being alone, one only, without a second, and that from non-being, being was born.”
6.2.2: “But how, indeed, could it be thus, my dear?” said he. “How could being be born from non-being? No, my dear, it was Being alone that existed in the beginning, one only, without a second.”
6.2.3: “That (Being) thought, ‘May I become many; may I grow forth.’ It created fire (Tejas). That fire thought, ‘May I become many; may I grow forth.’ It created water.”
6.3: Manifestation of Names and Forms (Nama-Rupa)
Sanskrit Verses
सेयं देवतैकैक्षत हन्ताहमिमास्तिस्रो देवता अनेन जीवेनात्मनानुप्रविश्य नामरूपे व्याकरवाणीति ॥ ६.३.२ ॥
तासां त्रिवृतं त्रिवृतमेकैकां करवाणीति सेयं देवतेमास्तिस्रो देवता अनेनैव जीवेनात्मनानुप्रविश्य नामरूपे व्याकरोत् ॥ ६.३.३ ॥
Translation
6.3.2: “That Divinity (Being) thought: ‘Well, let me enter into these three divinities (fire, water, and earth) by means of this living Self (Jivatman) and let me manifest names and forms (Nama-Rupa).‘“
6.3.3: “‘Let me make each one of them threefold.’ Having thus thought, that Divinity entered into these three divinities by means of this living Self and manifested names and forms.”
6.4: The Three Forms and the Knowledge of the Ancients
Sanskrit Verses
यदग्ने रोहितंरूपं तेजसस्तद्रूपं यच्छुक्लं तदपां यत्कृष्णं तदन्नस्यापागादग्नेरग्नित्वं वाचारम्भणं विकारो नामधेयं त्रीणि रूपाणीत्येव सत्यम् ॥ ६.४.१ ॥
यदादित्यस्य रोहितंरूपं तेजसस्तद्रूपं यच्छुक्लं तदपां यत्कृष्णं तदन्नस्यापागादादित्यादादित्यत्वं वाचारम्भणं विकारो नामधेयं त्रीणि रूपाणीत्येव सत्यम् ॥ ६.४.२ ॥
यच्छन्द्रमसो रोहितंरूपं तेजसस्तद्रूपं यच्छुक्लं तदपां यत्कृष्णं तदन्नस्यापागाच्चन्द्राच्चन्द्रत्वं वाचारम्भणं विकारो नामधेयं त्रीणि रूपाणीत्येव सत्यम् ॥ ६.४.३ ॥
यद्विद्युतो रोहितंरूपं तेजसस्तद्रूपं यच्छुक्लं तदपां यत्कृष्णं तदन्नस्यापागाद्विद्युतो विद्युत्त्वं वाचारम्भणं विकारो नामधेयं त्रीणि रूपाणीत्येव सत्यम् ॥ ६.४.४ ॥
Translation
6.4.1: “The red color of fire is the color of fire (Tejas), the white that of water, the black that of food (Earth). Thus vanishes the fireness of fire, the modification being only a name arising from speech, while the truth is that there are only the three colors.”
6.4.2: “The red color of the sun is the color of fire, the white that of water, the black that of food. Thus vanishes the sunness of the sun…“
6.4.3: “The red color of the moon… Thus vanishes the moonness of the moon…“
6.4.4: “The red color of lightning… Thus vanishes the lightningness of lightning…”
Sanskrit Verses
एतद्ध स्म वै तद्विद्वांस आहुः पूर्वे महाशाला महाश्रोत्रिया न नोऽद्य कश्चनाश्रुतममतमविज्ञातमुदाहरिष्यतीति ह्येभ्यो विदांचक्रुः ॥ ६.४.५ ॥
यदु रोहितमिवाभूदिति तेजसस्तद्रूपमिति तद्विदांचक्रुर्यदु शुक्लमिवाभूदित्यपांरूपमिति तद्विदांचक्रुर्यदु कृष्णमिवाभूदित्यन्नस्य रूपमिति तद्विदांचक्रुः ॥ ६.४.६ ॥
Translation
6.4.5: “The great householders and great Vedic scholars of old, knowing this, said: ‘Now no one can mention to us anything unheard, unthought, or unknown.’ For they knew everything through these (three colors).“
6.4.6: “Whatever appeared red, they knew that to be the color of fire; whatever appeared white, the color of water; whatever appeared black, the color of food.”
6.5: The Constitution of Mind, Breath, and Speech
Sanskrit Verses
अन्नमशितं त्रेधा विधीयते तस्य यः स्थविष्ठो धातुस्तत्पुरीषं भवति यो मध्यमस्तन्मांसं योऽणिष्ठस्तन्मनः ॥ ६.५.१ ॥
आपः पीतास्त्रेधा विधीयन्ते तासां यः स्थविष्ठो धातुस्तन्मूत्रं भवति यो मध्यमस्तल्लोहितं योऽणिष्ठः स प्राणः ॥ ६.५.२ ॥
तेजोऽशितं त्रेधा विधीयते तस्य यः स्थविष्ठो धातुस्तदस्थि भवति यो मध्यमः स मज्जा योऽणिष्ठः सा वाक् ॥ ६.५.३ ॥
अन्नमयंहि सोम्य मनः आपोमयः प्राणस्तेजोमयी वागिति भूय एव मा भगवान्विज्ञापयत्विति तथा सोम्येति होवाच ॥ ६.५.४ ॥
Translation
6.5.1: “Food, when eaten, is divided into three parts: the grossest part becomes feces, the middle part flesh, and the subtlest part mind.”
6.5.2: “Water, when drunk, is divided… the grossest part becomes urine, the middle part blood, and the subtlest part breath (Prana).“
6.5.3: “Fire, when eaten (absorbed), is divided… the grossest part becomes bone, the middle part marrow, and the subtlest part speech.”
6.5.4: “For, my dear, the mind consists of food, the breath consists of water, and speech consists of fire.” “Bhagavan, please instruct me further.” “So be it, my dear,” said he.
| Element Consumed (Devanagari) | Grossest Part (स्थविष्ठो - Excreta) | Middle Part (मध्यमस्त - Tissue) | Subtlest Part (अणिष्ठः - Faculty) | Key Sanskrit Quote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food (अन्नम्) | पुरीषम् (Purisham/Feces) | मांसम् (Mamsam/Flesh) | मनः (Manah/Mind) | अन्नमयं हि सोम्य मनः |
| Water (आपः) | मूत्रम् (Mutram/Urine) | लोहितम् (Lohitam/Blood) | प्राणः (Pranah/Life-force) | आपोमयः प्राणः |
| Fire (तेजः) | अस्थि (Asthi/Bone) | मज्जा (Majja/Marrow) | वाक् (Vak/Speech) | तेजोमयी वागिति |
6.6: The Subtlest Essence
Sanskrit Verses
दध्नः सोम्य मथ्यमानस्य योऽणिमा स उर्ध्वः समुदीषति तत्सर्पिर्भवति ॥ ६.६.१ ॥
एवमेव खलु सोम्यान्नस्याश्यमानस्य योऽणिमा स उर्ध्वः समुदीषति तन्मनो भवति ॥ ६.६.२ ॥
अपां सोम्य पीयमानानां योऽणिमा स उर्ध्वः समुदीषति स प्राणो भवति ॥ ६.६.३ ॥
तेजः सोम्याश्यमानस्य योऽणिमा स उर्ध्वः समुदीषति सा वाग्भवति ॥ ६.६.४ ॥
अन्नमयं हि सोम्य मन आपोमयः प्राणस्तेजोमयी वागिति भूय एव मा भगवान्विज्ञापयत्विति तथा सोम्येति होवाच ॥ ६.६.६ ॥
Translation
6.6.1: “Of the curd, my dear, when it is being churned, that which is subtle (the finest part) rises upward [!info] तत्त्वमसि: The Nine Similes (उपमा)
Throughout sections 6.8–6.16, Uddalaka Aruni provides Svetaketu with nine different analogies to explain how the subtle essence (Atman/Brahman) is the true reality behind all phenomena.
Section Simile (उपमा) Principal Devanagari Fragment Essential Concept (तत्त्वम्) 6.8 Sleep (शकुनि) तन्मनो… प्राणमेवोपश्रयते Unity in Deep Sleep: Like a tethered bird returning to its post, the mind finds rest in the True Self (Prana/Sat) during deep sleep. 6.9 Honey (मधु) मधुकृतो रसान्समवहारमेकतां रसं गमयन्ति Absorption of Individuality: Diverse juices collected by bees become one honey; they no longer say “I am the juice of this tree.” 6.10 Rivers (नद्यः) समुद्रं प्राप्य न विदन्ति… समुद्र एव भवन्ति Loss of Name and Form: Rivers merging into the sea lose their separate identity and origin. 6.11 The Tree (वृक्ष) जीवापेतं वाव किलैतन्म्रियते न जीवो म्रियते Eternity of the Soul: A tree withers when life leaves it, but the Life-principle itself does not die; it is ever-present. 6.12 The Seed (बीजम्) अस्य न्यग्रोधस्यैषोऽणिमा… श्रद्धत्स्व सोम्य Subtle Manifestation: From an invisible, subtle essence within a tiny seed, a massive Banyan tree arises. 6.13 The Salt (लवणम्) लवणमेतदुदकेऽवधाया… स यथा तत उपेयात् All-Pervasiveness: Like salt dissolved in water, the Truth is invisible to the eyes but can be perceived everywhere through experience. 6.14 The Blindfold (गन्धार) यथा पुरुषं गन्धारेभ्यः… आचार्यवान्पुरुषो वेद Necessity of a Guru: Like a blindfolded man led back home, one needs a Teacher to find the path to the True Self. 6.15 The Dying Man (मुमूर्षु) वाङ्मनसि सम्पद्यते… तल्तेजः परस्यां देवतायाम् Sequential Dissolution: At death, individual faculties merge back into their source, finally dissolving into the Supreme Deity. 6.16 The Test (परशु) स यथा तत्र नादाह्यत… सत्येनात्मानमन्तर्धाय Protection by Truth: During a trial by heated axe, the man protected by Truth is not burnt; Truth is the ultimate shield and reality.
ow able to perceive the Vedas. For, my dear, the mind consists of food, the breath consists of water, and speech consists of fire.’ Then he understood what his father said; yes, he understood it.”
6.8: Sleep, Hunger, Thirst, and the Real
Sanskrit Verses
स यथा शकुनिः सूत्रेण प्रबद्धो दिशं दिशं पतित्वान्यत्रायतनमलब्ध्वा बन्धनमेवोपश्रयत एवमेव खलु सोम्य तन्मनो दिशं दिशं पतित्वान्यत्रायतनमलब्ध्वा प्राणमेवोपश्रयते प्राणबन्धनं हि सोम्य मन इति ॥ ६.८.२ ॥
अशनापिपासे मे सोम्य विजानीहीति यत्रैतत्पुरुषोऽशिशिषति नामाप एव तदशितं नयन्ते तद्यथा गोनायोऽश्वनायः पुरुषनाय इत्येवं तदप आचक्षतेऽशनायेति तत्रितच्छुङ्गमुत्पतितं सोम्य विजानीहि नेदममूलं भविष्यतीति ॥ ६.८.३ ॥
तस्य क्व मूलं स्यादन्यत्रान्नादेवमेव खलु सोम्यान्नेन शुङ्गेनापो मूलमन्विच्छाद्भिः सोम्य शुङ्गेन तेजो मूलमन्विच्छ तेजसा सोम्य शुङ्गेन सन्मूलमन्विच्छ सन्मूलाः सोम्येमाः सर्वाः प्रजाः सदायतनाः सत्प्रतिष्ठाः ॥ ६.८.४ ॥
अथ यत्रैतत्पुरुषः पिपासति नाम तेज एव तत्पीतं नयते तद्यथा गोनायोऽश्वनायः पुरुषनाय इत्येवं तत्तेज आचष्ट उदन्येति तत्रैतदेव शुङ्गमुत्पतितं सोम्य विजानीहि नेदममूलं भविष्यतीति ॥ ६.८.५ ॥
तस्य क्व मूलं स्यादन्यत्राद्भ्य्ऽद्भिः सोम्य शुङ्गेन तेजो मूलमन्विच्छ तेजसा सोम्य शुङ्गेन सन्मूलमन्विच्छ सन्मूलाः सोम्येमाः सर्वाः प्रजाः सदायतनाः सत्प्रतिष्ठा यथा तु खलु सोम्येमास्तिस्रो देवताः पुरुषं प्राप्य त्रिवृत्त्रिवृदेकैका भवति तदुक्तं पुरस्तादेव भवत्यस्य सोम्य पुरुषस्य प्रयतो वाङ्मनसि सम्पद्यते मनः प्राणे प्राणस्तेजसि तेजः परस्यां देवतायाम् ॥ ६.८.६ ॥
स य एषोऽणिमैतदात्म्यमिदं सर्वं तत्सत्यं स आत्मा तत्त्वमसि श्वेतकेतो इति भूय एव मा भगवान्विज्ञापयत्विति तथा सोम्येति होवाच ॥ ६.८.७ ॥
Translation
6.8.2: “Just as a bird tied by a string, after flying in every direction and finding no rest elsewhere, settles down at the place where it is bound, so also, my dear, the mind, after flying in every direction and finding no rest elsewhere, settles down in the Prana (Life-breath); for the mind, my dear, is bound to Prana.”
6.8.3: “Understand from me, my dear, the nature of hunger and thirst. When a man is said to be ‘hungry’ (ashishishati), it is water that leads away what he has eaten. Just as we speak of a leader of cows (gonaya), a leader of horses (ashvanaya), or a leader of men (purushanaya), so we speak of water as a leader of food (ashanaya). Know this body (the sprout) to have sprung up, my dear; it cannot be without a root.”
6.8.4: “Where could its root be except in food? Thus, my dear, from food as the sprout, seek water as the root. From water as the sprout, seek fire as the root. From fire as the sprout, seek Being (Sat) as the root. All these creatures, my dear, have Being as their root, Being as their abode, Being as their support.”
6.8.5: “When a man is said to be ‘thirsty’ (pipasati), it is fire that leads away what he has drunk. Just as we speak of a leader of cows, etc., so we speak of fire as a leader of water (udanya). Know this body to have sprung up, my dear; it cannot be without a root.”
6.8.6: “Where could its root be except in water? Thus, my dear… from fire as the sprout, seek Being as the root. When a man departs from here, his speech merges into the mind, his mind into the Prana, the Prana into fire, and the fire into the Supreme Deity (Being).“
6.8.7: “That which is the subtle essence—in that all this has its self. That is the True. That is the Self. That Thou Art (Tat Tvam Asi), O Svetaketu.” “Bhagavan, please instruct me further.” “So be it, my dear,” said he.
6.9-6.16: तत्त्वमसि - The Nine Similes (उपमा)
| Simile (उपमा) | Principal Devanagari Verse Fragment | Essential Concept (तत्त्वम्) |
|---|---|---|
| Honey (मधु) | मधुकृतो रसान्समवहारमेकतां रसं गमयन्ति | एकीभाव (Unity): Diverse juices become one essence, losing separate “I-ness.” |
| Rivers (नद्यः) | समुद्रं प्राप्य न विदन्ति… समुद्र एव भवन्ति | नामरूपनाश (Loss of Name/Form): Rivers merging into the sea no longer distinguish their origins. |
| Living Tree (वृक्ष) | जीवापेतं वाव किलैतन्म्रियते न जीवो म्रियत इति | जीव-नित्यत्व (Eternity of Soul): The body withers when Life leaves, but Life itself does not die. |
| Seed (बीजम्) | अस्य न्यग्रोधस्यैषोऽणिमा… श्रद्धत्स्व सोम्य | अणिमा (Subtlety): The vast Banyan tree arises from an invisible, subtle essence. |
| Salt (लवणम्) | लवणमेतदुदकेऽवधाया… स यथा तत उपेयादेवमेवैतन्निबोध | सर्वव्यापित्व (Pervasiveness): Like salt in water, Brahman is invisible but present everywhere. |
| Blindfold (गन्धार) | यथा पुरुषं गन्धारेभ्यः… आचार्यवान्पुरुषो वेद | आचार्य (Teacher): Only the one with a Guide finds the way back to the True Home. |
| Dying Man (मुमूर्षु) | तस्य तावदेव चिरं यावन्न विमोक्ष्येलय | लय (Absorption): Speech merges into Mind, Mind into Breath, Breath into Light, and Light into the Deity. |
| Heated Axe (परशु) | स यथा तत्र नादाह्यत… सत्येनात्मानमन्तर्धाय | सत्य (Truth): The man covered by Truth is not “burnt” by the fires of worldly existence. |